Looking for a subwoofer

[new10quest]

It's coming today! Aren't you excited? Make sure you put pictures up.

It is delivered earlier, and it took 2 business days only. It is super quick ground shipping by FedEx. I'll hook it up after work, and I'll update everyone here.

 

[new10quest]

Finally Installed

When I first walked in the house, I thought I ordered a stove instead of HSU VTF-2 MK3 subwoofer. The box and the foam that it is in is over killed and over protected. It kept the subwoofer in excellent conditions though.

I installed it earlier. It took me a while to adjust VSX-72TXV Pioneer Elite. I never adjust this A/V receiver by hand. The auto adjustment microphone is always better for me, but I misplaced it. I'm very impress with VTF-2 look and performance, but my lady said it is too big and too loud. It can be felt throughout our 2500sqft home. I have to admit that it is very big and very heavy. It is built like a tank, but the enclosure is very nice and matches with the rest of my theater component very well. It is definitely built for a man.

I threw Avatar blu-ray, Uptown Girl music and The Blue music at it. It is very rough for my 2 years old twin sons and 8/10 years old girls. The bass is very tight and very clean. I wish I can turn it up higher to feel the full potential. Now, I really wish that I have a dedicated home theater room so I don't have to disturb my wife and kits.

Does anyone know how long does it take to break in VTF-2? Oh, the Gramma isolation pad definitely help minimize the rattles on the window, fire place, etc but I'll get some more isolation pad to place behind the subwoofer.

Finally word- HSU shipping is super fast, and they are very pleasant to work with. I recommend this company to anyone. After hearing the VTF-2, I don't know how I survived with the store brand all this time..!

 

[SJTrance]

First off, beautiful home! I can see how that room would need a bigger subwoofer since it seems to be a very open layout. Yeah, the sub is quite big sitting next to that couch. The VTF-3 is a tiny bit shorter but deeper and wider by a few inches.

When I first got it, I felt that the sub was overpowering my modest and older Paradigm speakers. When I used my VSX-90TXV Pioneer Elite receiver, it ended up setting up the speakers low but the sub at the lowest setting. Still, I felt that the speakers were underpowered and the sub was too much. I couldn't hear the dialogue well and there were big spikes of "boominess" that shook the room. All in all, that's not a place I wanted to be.

I ended up getting a Radio Shack SPL with the Avia II calibration DVD and discovered that the Pioneer's MCACC wasn't doing it right. I just picked a moderate listening level and adjusted all the the channels so that I was able to get 75 DB from my sitting position. From there, I upped the subwoofer about 5 DB to run it a bit hot. Now, I find that everything is perfect. I had to run the subwoofer's volume knob quite low to get everything perfect. The best aspect of it is that it eliminated the localization of the sub.

When my girlfriend came over (she loves bass), she couldn't hear where the bass was coming from. Even at low volumes, all I get is clean soft and warm bass.

 

[new10quest]

SJ- Thank you for the comment. I'm glad that you got your VTF-3 calibrated to your taste. I'm glad that your girlfriend likes it too. My wife is not really into heavy bass. She is a Bose person. The VTF-2 is very big next to the sofa. The solid wood end table is quite big and tall, and VTF-2 is higher and deeper than the end table. I'm sure it is driving my wife crazy. So far, I enjoy the full and tight bass very much. The great room with tile floor and fire place is acoustic nightmare, but VTF-2 and Gramma help improve the sound quality tremendously. I'm planning to revisit some of my favorite blu-ray again.

I wish that I can find the MCACC microphone for my Elite, and I want to recalibrate the new subwoofer with it. I'm wondering if anyone wants to ship one to me for 20 buck..!

 

[gmichael]

Congrats. I wish you many years of happy thumping.

(No Alex! Not that kind!)